The United Kingdom is on course to leave the European Union on 29 March without a deal unless May can persuade the bloc to amend the divorce deal she agreed last year and get it approved by British lawmakers.

The remarkable war of words between two founding members of the EU began shortly after the Five Star Movement and Salvini's far-right League parties won Italian elections and formed a coalition government last June.

Just weeks after Parliament resoundingly rejected her Brexit deal, May needs to persuade a reluctant EU to change the Withdrawal Agreement to help her get lawmakers’ approval before Britain is due to leave the EU on 29 March.

Two weeks after overwhelmingly rejecting May’s Brexit deal, parliament backed a proposal intended to send her back to Brussels with a stronger mandate to seek changes that were more likely to win their support.